


Festive

by glim



Series: white city [10]
Category: Merlin (BBC)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Academia, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, M/M, Teaching, University, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-11
Updated: 2011-01-11
Packaged: 2017-10-14 16:36:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/151288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glim/pseuds/glim
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wherein Arthur undergoes end-of-semester grading hell, which Merlin makes better with Christmas cheer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Festive

>   
> from: Jeremy Harding  
> to: Arthur Pendragon  
> date: Tue Dec 21 2010 at 3:28 AM  
> subject: _(no subject)_
> 
> hey… I just had two questions. where do we hand in our final papers? And if i still wanted to rewrite one of my other papers how can i do that? lmk.  
> 

Arthur stared at the computer screen, wondering if he did so long enough, the student email in front of him would either magically disappear or transform into one to which it wouldn't pain him to respond.

>   
> from: Arthur Pendragon  
> to: Jeremy Harding  
> date: Tue Dec 21 2010 at 1:25 PM  
> subject: _re: (no subject)_
> 
> (1) My department mailbox. (2) You can't.  
> 

Hm. No, too curt, even as a reply to an email that lacked subject, greeting, and signature. Arthur backspaced through his one line response and gazed at the computer screen again for a minute before he started typing.

>   
> from: Arthur Pendragon  
> to: Jeremy Harding  
> date: Tue Dec 21 2010 at 1:30 PM  
> subject: _re: (no subject)_
> 
> Dear Mr. Harding:
> 
> I believe we've talked about using proper subject, greeting, and signature lines in email correspondence in class. Be sure to follow these guidelines in future emails to your professors lest they decide to ignore your email just as you've decided to ignore good manners.
> 
> The answer to your first question I've reiterated multiple times both in class and over email during the past couple weeks. It would behoove you to pay attention once in a while, Mr. Harding. The final paper must be handed in to my department mailbox. As your paper is already two days late I would advise you hand it in as soon as possible with the hope that you might actually pass the course.
> 
> As for your second question, the deadline for paper revisions has long passed. Perhaps if you performed simple tasks such as reading the syllabus and attending class on a more regular basis you would have realized this on your own.
> 
> Dr. A. Pendragon  
> 

Arthur reread the second draft of the email with the sense of perverse satisfaction that came from finally telling off one of his laziest, most uninterested students.

At least until he realized he'd successfully channeled his father. Arthur quickly deleted the body of the email and pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes until the feeling of horror passed.

>   
> from: Arthur Pendragon  
> to: Jeremy Harding  
> date: Tue Dec 21 2010 at 1:55 PM  
> subject: _re: final papers_
> 
> Dear Jeremy:
> 
> As I've told the class multiple times, the final papers must be submitted via my department mailbox. Please do that as soon as possible as your paper is already late.
> 
> Unfortunately, you've already missed the deadline for re-submitting previous papers for this course.
> 
> Let me know if you have any other questions.
> 
> Best,  
> Dr. A. Pendragon  
> 

Arthur sent the reply off before he had the urge to add or delete anything else. Really, he ought not to have replied at all, given that the directions for both the final paper and re-submissions of previous papers were up on the online site for the course. Arthur would've felt virtuous for answering his student were it not for the fact that replying to email was his current favorite method of procrastination. He'd already emailed Merlin and Morgana, phoned his father about plans for Christmas weekend, checked his mailbox in the department office, and paused to talk to the department secretary about plans for winter break and the possibility of snow in the area.

And he'd cleaned student papers and other detritus of the fall semester off his desk.

Twice.

In the past hour.

Arthur scrubbed both hands over his face again, faintly dizzy with exhaustion and the prospect of two very long days to end the semester. The pile of exams from his undergraduate Renaissance Drama lecture were still waiting for him, as were the final papers from both his sections of First-Year English. Reading and commenting on the essays from his graduate seminar had been enjoyable since the papers had been so thoughtful and engaging, but it had taken him three days to get through all of them. The remaining papers only seemed more arduous in comparison and the endless stream of emails from students who were suddenly anxious about their final grade wasn't exactly helping.

The easiest way to solve that problem would be to close down his email. Which Arthur did, exchanging the window with his inbox for the one with the answer key to the Ren. Drama final exam. With a sigh, he pulled over the closest pile of blue books and started to trudge his way through the short answer questions.

After marking most of the first set of questions, Arthur realized three good things: one, that half the class seemed to have actually read _Epicœne_ , two, that at least half of that group understood the play, and three, that somebody was offering distraction in the form of knocking on the door to his office.

"Come in! Oh, hello," Arthur added in a quieter voice when Merlin peeked into his office.

"Are you busy?"

"No. Well, yes, but come in anyway."

Merlin grinned and slipped into Arthur's office, letting the door shut behind him. The last time Arthur had seen him, he'd been in a rather frantic state over his seminar papers, running on only a few hours of sleep and threatening to read vast excerpts of _Piers Plowman_ to anyone who would listen to him. The dark circles were nearly gone from beneath Merlin's eyes and his clothes didn't have that wrinkled, slept in look to them.

"You look festive," Arthur commented and nodded towards the green fleece scarf Merlin had on with his favorite red jumper. "And a bit absurd, but you're smiling, so."

"I am festive! I'm not failing grad school, and I have loads and loads of clean laundry, and I slept for about eleven hours last night." He smiled again and put two cups down on Arthur's desk – holiday themed cups from Starbucks. "And I brought you holiday cheer."

"What kind of holiday cheer?"

"Caffeinated?"

"I approve."

Merlin nudged one of the cups closer to Arthur. "Vanilla latté with an extra shot of espresso."

"That is very cheering. As is…." Arthur nodded towards Merlin again, who was caught up in unwinding his scarf and completely fluffing up his hair in the process.

"Good. All good." Merlin, once freed of his scarf and coat, took the lid off his own cup of hot tea, and settled himself quickly, quietly, and warmly in Arthur's lap. "Good?"

"Good." Burying his nose in the soft hair at the nap of Merlin's neck told Arthur that Merlin had just showered – he smelled clean and soapy, and his skin was warm from the heavy scarf he'd worn. "We shouldn't…"

"Department's mostly empty… I'll be quiet. And I won't stay long. Promise." Merlin peered at Arthur with the little imploring look he got sometimes, and, just when Arthur was about to object again, touched the side of Arthur's face. "You look worn out…"

And there – at the light touch of Merlin's fingers and tone of his voice – Arthur's resolve melted. Only Merlin could do this to him, come into his office in absurd Christmas colors with coffee and the ability to get Arthur to relax. He nestled into Merlin's touch with a quiet sound of agreement. "I'm just grading."

"Mm. Yeah, but, I can tell you're not having a good time doing it. You have that …" Merlin moved his fingers to press the tip of one between Arthur's eyebrows. "You get that frown on your face."

"I do not."

"You do so. And you go all grumpy."

Arthur nudged Merlin of his lap, but not before pressing a kiss to his mouth. "Dinner tonight? Sushi?"

" _Festive holiday sushi_ , you mean. I'll get take-out and bring it over to your place. We can watch ridiculous Christmas movies on television. And I'll stay the night, I think." Merlin stroked the side of Arthur's face again to edge his thumb along Arthur's lower lip. He touched the corner of Arthur's mouth and swept his thumb over it when Arthur parted his lips.

"Stay the night," Arthur breathed. Warmth flushed through his chest, desire and anticipation and relief, and he smiled to feel Merlin touch his lips again, then lean down and kiss him. He pulled back with a sigh and glanced at his desk. "I should get back to this."

"Yeah, yeah you should. Or I'll have to deal with you being grumpy even longer." Merlin gave him a stupid, fond kind of look, and then reached for his coat, scarf, and cup of tea. "Text me when you're done, okay?"

"I will." The warmth that had filled Arthur's chest swelled a little at the smile Merlin gave him. It didn't make the grading any easier or faster, but there was sushi, Merlin, and ridiculous holiday television to look forward to at the end of it all.


End file.
